Table 4

Intensity of digestive symptoms (scores) in 40 healthy volunteers assigned to a 7-d
consumption of short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS) at a dose from 2.5 to 10
g/d or a placebo

scFOS dose (g/d)

Excess flatus

Bloating

Borborygmi

Abdominal pain

d1-d8*

d8-d15*

P**

d1-d8*

d8-d15*

P**

d1-d8*

d8-d15*

P**

d1-d8*

d8-d15*

P**

0 (placebo)

4.12 ± 1.35

4.12 ± 1.45

***

3.87 ± 1.80

2.62 ± 0.92

***

3.25 ± 1.80

2.75 ± 1.47

***

1.50 ± 1.00

0.50 ± 0.26

***

2.5

1.75 ± 0.45

3.62 ± 1.28

NS

1.50 ± 0.42

3.12 ± 1.28

0.03

1.37 ± 0.49

300 ± 1.36

NS

1.12 ± 0.61

1.12 ± 0.61

NS

5.0

3.00 ± 1.08

5.25 ± 1.71

NS

1.75 ± 0.97

3.37 ± 1.76

0.03

1.75 ± 0.92

2.87 ± 1.42

NS

0.87 ± 0.51

0.87 ± 0.51

NS

7.5

3.50 ± 0.86

3.50 ± 0.68

NS

1.75 ± 1.03

1.50 ± 0.62

NS

1.75 ± 0.64

0.62 ± 0.32

NS

2.12 ± 0.87

2.12 ± 0.87

NS

10

3.37 ± 1.16

4.75 ± 1.03

NS

2.25 ± 1.06

2.62 ± 1.16

NS

1.50 ± 0.75

1.62 ± 0.86

NS

2.12 ± 0.81

2.12 ± 0.81

NS

*days 1–8 was a run-in period during which no treatment occurred, but subjects excluded
from their diet fermented dairy products containing viable bifidobacteria and limited
consumption of food products containing high level of non-digestible oligosaccharides.

** Statistical analyses were performed versus placebo, on the difference d15-d8, using
Fisher's Test

*** As the difference days 15-8 with placebo was the reference, p-values are not reported.
Symptom intensity was noted every day using a 4-grade scale 0: no symptom; 1: mild
symptoms; 2: moderate symptoms; 3: severe symptoms. Cumulative daily scores were calculated
for each period [d1, d8 a.m.], [d8 p.m., d15] and are reported in the present table
as m ± sem. Severity of symptoms and cumulative daily scores can be related via the
following scale: 0: no symptom; 1–7: mild symptoms; 8–14: moderate symptoms; 15–21:
severe symptoms.